Back to the basics. Our team will help you get started stamping. Learn basic measurements, how to cut your card stock, techniques, and enjoy a weekly sketch challenge, and more! Please note: You have entered a MARKETING FREE ZONE.
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Thursday, March 31, 2011

Hello everyone and welcome to the March edition of Takin' It To the Top on Stamping 411! In this feature, we take a simple, basic (but still beautiful) card and we transform it to a special and spectacular card by adding layers, texture, color and embellishments.

It's our hope that this feature will help you look at your cards in a new way and discover how easy it is to dress them up ... either a little or a lot!

Today's Takin' It To the Top cards use the fabulous, new Paisley Petals Designer Series Paper that will be available to customers beginning tomorrow, April 1st! Contact your Stampin' Up! Demonstrator for more information!

Now, here is our first card -- it's simple, yes, but it's beautiful and it's a great choice when you need to make a quick card or need to make multiples in a hurry.

The Card Base is Not Quite Navy Cardstock -- begin with a 5.5 x 8.5" piece of cardstock, score and fold in the middle. Next is a layer of Designer Series Paper cut at 4 x 5.25". I've added a length of Baja Breeze 1/2" Seam Tape Ribbon across the bottom (roughly 1/3 of the way up from the bottom of the card). Fasten the ends of the ribbon to the back of the DSP and add a simple, faux bow (slip 6" of ribbon under the attached strip of ribbon, tie a simple overhand knot and pull tight and then trim the ends diagonally to the length that you desire). The sentiment, from the stamp set Word Play, is stamped on Whisper White Cardstock using Not Quite Navy Ink. The White layer is 2 x 2.75" and it's then attached to a Not Quite Navy layer that is 2.25 x 3". Attach to the card with SNAIL adhesive and the card is finished. This card is simple, easy, fast and a delight to anyone who might receive it in the mail. Another advantage for this simple, minimal layer cards ... no extra postage is required for mailing!

But we all have those occasions when we want to step our card up a bit -- to make it a little special for a special person or occasion! So, now let's take a look at Card #2. Using the same basic layout and materials, here's what I did to step this one up.

First of all, you can see that I added another layer and another color -- the DSP is cut at 3.75 x 5", Pear Pizzazz Cardstock is cut at 4 x 5.25" and those layers are added to the same Not Quite Navy Card Base.

I also changed out the ribbon for a little more contrast -- adding Pear Pizzazz Poly Twill Ribbon and again, a tied faux bow.

To the stamped image layer, I added three Green Rhinestone Brads for a little sparkle and bling.

And finally, I pop-up the stamped focal layers with Stampin' Dimensionals which adds a little more interest and depth to the finished card. These changes were all fairly simple ... nothing drastic was done and you can clearly see that the same layout was used for both cards.

Now, when you want a card that has even more thought and time put into it, something that is even more special, then you can add a few more elements to really Take it to the Top. Realize, of course, that adding extra layers and embellishments may make this card more expensive to send in the mail. This may be a card that you want to hand-deliver, or include in a package or gift.

Adding to the additional layers of Card #2, I've now added a 1" strip of Pear Pizzazz cardstock at the bottom that has been punched with the Scallop Trim Border Punch. I've gone back to the Baja Breeze Seam Tape Ribbon, this time adding an actual bow, actually a double bow.

I've set the stamped focal image a bit lower and more to the left side on this final card, to allow room for the Daisy Die Cuts at the top. These were cut with the Big Shot and the Flower Daisies #2 Die, using Baja Breeze and Whisper White cardstock -- I cut two each of the small and medium sizes, sponged the edges with Not Quite Navy Ink and alternated them, gently curling the edges up using a Bone Folder. The center is adorned with an Antique Brad and the entire flower is popped-up with Stampin' Dimensionals. I've replaced the Rhinestone Brads with Self-Adhesive Basic Pearls at the bottom of the focal point.

So there you have it ... three cards all similar in design and materials but one simple and basic, one stepped up just a bit, and one that will really say "WOW"!

And now, it's YOUR turn! Let's see what you can do to dress-up your cards this week. Even if you don't want to Take it to the Top, what can you do to make your cards even more special? We challenge you to make a card this week and then add at least two additional elements to dress that card up a bit -- it could be layers or colors or texture or embellishments or additional images -- whatever you like.

Take some photos, post them on your blog or another Public Forum and tell us how you dressed your card up a bit and then come back to this post and leave us a link to your creation! We would love to see what you've done! You have until midnight next Wednesday night to leave your link and play along with the challenge.

Thanks so much, everyone, for sharing some time with me today on Takin' It To the Top. I hope you visit the Operators at Stamping 411 again soon!

Friday, March 25, 2011

As I get ready to sit down and write tonight's sketch challenge post one big question is burning up my my mind... Patti and Gretchen... Did you call one another?

It's so funny how some ideas can be so similar with something as simple as a sketch challenge. In fact, I love it! It's only a matter of time for creative serendipity to happen when we are all playing with the same things! I think it's cool... Just sayin'....

Here are some potential measurements for this sketch challenge, but remember to check out individual operator blogs to find out more about their specific creations.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

I don't know about where you live, but the radio stations in my area are all buzzing with advertisements of wedding fairs. It's been over twenty years since the planning of my wedding, but I thought it would be fun to come up with a color combination that would be perfect for a wedding.

This week's color inspiration challenge is Old Olive, Pretty in Pink and Night of Navy.

I found this gorgeous color combination in the Color Coach.

What do I love about this combination? Well, I am glad you asked! I think a lot of grooms get a little worried when they hear the word "pink". I {heart} pink!!! But, I am also a big fan of compromise!!! So, the bride can have her pink when it's paired with the rich and "manly" Night of Navy. Of course, Old Olive bridges the gap between the masculine and the feminine.

How would you use this color combination? Pink flowers, olive leaves, navy accents? I can't wait to see what you do with it.

I'm putting a Linky Tool at the bottom of this post. When you make your project using this color combination, copy your project's web address to the Linky Tool. It's THAT easy!!!

Hello everyone! Did you see all the challenge submissions we had last week! It's a new high for participation at Stamping 411. Keep up the great work!!! Here are your Operator Picks for Sketch Challenge #194.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Welcome to the latest edition of Technique Thursday! You've probably seen this technique around, I have seen it everywhere lately, but I'd just never tried it until recently. It's called inlaid embossing, and it's basically adhering shapes to your card stock before embossing it with your Big Shot.

One of the advantages to inlaid embossing is being able to create your own "dsp" out of punched shapes of your choice :)

Here are the quick and easy instructions if you'd like to give it a try!

1. Cut various shapes either with a Big Shot die or punch. For my sample I used the Fun Flowers die with Whisper White card stock, and just sponged the edges in various colors such as Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Daffodil Delight, Bashful Blue, Perfect Plum & Peach Parfait.

2. Adhere the shapes to your base card stock:

I let my shapes overlap the edges, then trimmed them off before embossing.

2. Insert your card stock into the embossing folder of your choice and run it through the Big Shot, here's what it will look like when it comes out:3. Adhere to your card base and embellish...done!

We'd love to see what you come up with using this fun technique! Here's how to play along:

Make a card

Post it online somewhere to your blog or other online forum

Post a link to the free linky tool below (please point the link to your post and NOT just your blog)